Encounters with ticks harboring pathogenic agents have demonstrated increasing public health implications. Tick surveillance in the Republic of Korea (ROK) is essential for determining tick distributions and the potential regions where tick-borne pathogens may be found. Extensive tick collections (tick drags and tick flagging) were previously performed by Force Health Protection &amp; Preventive Medicine (FHP&amp;PM), Medical Activity-Korea (MEDDAC-K)/65th Medical Brigade (MED BDE) personnel, in collaboration with the Public Health Activity-Korea in the ROK. A total of 144,131 ticks were collected from 2,019 locations during 2004 to 2016. The associated location data (GPS coordinates) for each of the collection sites were incorporated into distribution maps using ArcGIS and combined with environmental data in the Maxent ecological niche modeling program (n = 733 geographical unique locations from 1,429 presence records/collection locations) to produce estimates of tick distributions for each species. The predominant tick species found and modeled were, in order of prevalence Haemaphysalis longicornis, H. flava, Ixodes nipponensis, H. phasiana, I. turdus, Amblyomma testudinarium, H. japonica, and I. persulcatus. Haemaphysalis longicornis, H. flava, and I. nipponensis were the most widely distributed and most commonly collected species of ticks. The maps and models of suitable habitat regions produced in this study provide a better understanding of where there are potential risks of encountering a particular tick species, and which, as demonstrated herein with rickettsiae, can be used to study tick-pathogen dynamics of diseases. Knowledge of the distribution of ticks is important in the ROK because of the presence of tick-borne diseases, such as severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome, tick-borne encephalitis, rickettsioses, and borrelioses.A new empirical method for in situ determination of the inventory of 137Cs in soil (ACs, kBq m-2) at grasslands and forests using a field-portable NaI(Tl) scintillation spectrometer-dosimeter was developed. The method is based on evaluation of the ambient dose equivalent build-up factor. The practical implementation of the new method with the spectrometer-dosimeter does not require a priori knowledge of the vertical distribution of 137Cs in soil. Moreover, the method allows assessing a value of the mean migration depth of 137Cs in soil (Z) in terms of g cm-2. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/filgotinib.html The 95% confidence interval for the mean value of the conversion coefficients from the ambient dose equivalent build-up factor to ACs and to Z is less than 10%. The new method has been developed and verified using published data that where obtained at territories in Russia and Belarus heavily contaminated with 137Cs (ACs &gt; 37 kBq m-2) due to the Chernobyl accident. Therefore, the survey of less contaminated areas requires additional validation of this method.Measures of patient motivation have proven elusive, showing inconsistent results in relation to psychotherapy outcome. How patients talk about change is an alternative measure of motivation, with potential value in predicting treatment outcome. This study had two aims (1) to examine if change talk and sustain talk (including its subcategories) predicted reduction in worry levels at post-treatment and 2-year follow-up, and (2) if there were differences between the cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and metacognitive therapy (MCT) conditions with respect to change talk.
This study investigated 24 patients receiving CBT and 27 patients receiving MCT for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and coded patients' utterances in sessions 1 and 4.
Change talk was significantly associated with lower worry levels at post-treatment and 2-year follow-up, beyond initial worry severity and treatment condition. Change talk in session 4, and reduction in sustain talk from session 1 to 4, was positively associated with improvement, whilst sustain talk in session 4 showed a negative relationship. More specifically, commitment statements in session 1 and expressing signs of taking steps at session 4 were associated with reduction in worry levels. Moreover, patients in the MCT condition argued more both for and against change during session 1, but not session 4.
The sample size was relatively small.
These results indicate that change talk sustain talk could be important in the treatment of GAD.
These results indicate that change talk sustain talk could be important in the treatment of GAD.Research indicates the value of targeting emotional regulation (ER) skills in psychological interventions for psychosis. These skills can be delivered in a group format, thereby increasing access to therapy. This pilot study examined the acceptability and clinical effects of teaching ER skills in The Living Through Psychosis (LTP) group programme.
Patients with a psychotic illness were offered the LTP programme, comprising eight sessions over four weeks. Measures were completed by 55 participants. Acceptability was assessed by attendance rates and group cohesion. Measures of intervention targets, recovery and clinical outcomes were completed at baseline, pre-group, post-group, and one-month follow-up.
High group attendance and cohesion support the acceptability of the group. Participants reported less difficulty with ER (Coeff.=-8.29, 95% CI -13.40 to -3.18, within participant uncontrolled effect size (ES) d=0.29), increased mindful relating to distressing symptoms (Coeff.=11.20, 95% CI 7.02 to 15.38, d=0.65), and improvements in recovery dimensions (Coeff.=10.07, 95% CI 5.6 to 14.54, d=0.42) from pre-to post-intervention, and maintained at one-month follow-up. Participants' hallucinations and delusions reduced from pre-intervention to follow-up (t(18)=4.64, p&lt;0.001; t(18)=5.34, p&lt;0.001). There was no change in fear of relapse.
The uncontrolled, pre-post design precluded blinded assessments, and may have inflated effect sizes. Other factors may have contributed to the improvements.
The LTP programme was acceptable to people with psychosis. The preliminary findings indicate the potential utility of teaching ER and mindfulness skills in a brief group programme. Findings require replication in a randomized controlled trial.
The LTP programme was acceptable to people with psychosis. The preliminary findings indicate the potential utility of teaching ER and mindfulness skills in a brief group programme. Findings require replication in a randomized controlled trial.